Edinburgh is not only quaint old town and cosy pubs! Those who like hiking, spending time outdoors and getting some physical exercise will be delighted to visit the Arthur’s Seat – the highest hill bidding amazing views over Edinburgh. It’s located in the Holyrood Park and to get there, just follow the Royal Mile until you reach The Queen’s residence and the site of Scottish Parliament. You won’t get lost on the way.
There are many paths leading to the summing of the Arthur’s Seat. Depending on your fitness and amount of time, you can either choose a long but easy trail, or a shorter but steeper one. Joanna and I were shooting for something of mid-level of difficulty, but of course, we ended up on the steepest way. To be frank, even that one wasn’t too difficult.
The views were truly breath-taking and no wonder King Arthur chose this spot for his seat. I dare say it was worth climbing even in flip-flops.
Yes, the series of unfortunate events which started in Glasgow continued throughout our visit to Edinburgh. After the previous day, my feet were so painfully sore, that I couldn’t bear walking in my hiking shoes. Instead, I went to Boots where I bought flip-flops (forgot to take mine, of course…) and I can proudly say that I was the only person to walk up the Arthur’s Seat in flip-flops. ;-D
It was so incredibly windy at the top, that we could barely hear each other’s shouts and there were moments where I seriously thought we would fly away.
On our way back, Joanna and I decided to take a shortcut. Of course, I’d like to add! There is something special that both Joanna and me are known for: we like challenges. We have task-focused mind-sets. Once we get hooked upon some idea or, even better, a challenge, we just can’t let it go. Because of that, we ended up on a terribly steep and slippery slope of the Arthur’s Seat. Although it was indeed a shortcut, we could barely walk, as the wet soil and long grass were extremely slippery and we had to mind our steps. This was the only moment when I had to choose between sliding down on a muddy slope on my butt OR enduring a few minutes in uncomfortable shoes and keeping my butt safe. I grit my teeth and changed my shoes.
Summing up the Edinburgh chapter of that trip, I can say that if you have a chance to visit this place, don’t think for a moment. It’s absolutely worth it. And if you don’t have such a chance, just create it. :-D Angels with bagpipes are waiting!
